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lived that Chaka was no more; else they had joined their brethren who

were dead on the way; since never before for many years had a Zulu

impi returned unvictorious and without a single head of cattle。 Thus

it came about that they were glad enough to welcome a king who spared

their lives; and thenceforth; till his fate found him; Dingaan reigned

unquestioned。



Now; Dingaan wa a prince of the blood of Chaka indeed; for; like

Chaka; he was great in presence and cruel at heart; but he had not the

might and the mind of Chaka。 Moreover; he was treacherous and a liar;

and these Chaka was not。 Also; he loved women much; and spent with

them the time that he should have given to matters of the State。 Yet

he reigned awhile in the land。 I must tell this also; that Dingaan

would have killed Panda; his half…brother; so that the house of

Senzangacona; his father; might be swept out clean。 Now Panda was a

man of gentle heart; who did not love war; and therefore it was

thought that he was half…witted; and; because I loved Panda; when the

question of his slaying came on; I and the chief Mapita spoke against

it; and pleaded for him; saying that there was nothing to be feared at

his hands who was a fool。 So in the end Dingaan gave way; saying;

〃Well; you ask me to spare this dog; and I will spare him; but one day

he will bite me。〃



So Panda was made governor of the king's cattle。 Yet in the end the

words of Dingaan came true; for it was the grip of Panda's teeth that

pulled him from the throne; only; if Panda was the dog that bit; I;

Mopo; was the man who set him on the hunt。







CHAPTER XXII



MOPO GOES TO SEEK THE SLAUGHTERER



Now Dingaan; deserting the kraal Duguza; moved back to Zululand; and

built a great kraal by the Mahlabatine; which he named 〃Umgugundhlovu〃

that is; 〃the rumbling of the elephant。〃 Also; he caused all the

fairest girls in the land to be sought out as his wives; and though

many were found yet he craved for more。 And at this time a rumour came

to the ears of the King Dingaan that there lived in Swaziland among

the Halakazi tribe a girl of the most wonderful beauty; who was named

the Lily; and whose skin was whiter than are the skins of our people;

and he desired greatly to have this girl to wife。 So Dingaan sent an

embassy to the chief of the Halakazi; demanding that the girl should

be given to him。 At the end of a month the embassy returned again; and

told the king that they had found nothing but hard words at the kraal

of the Halakazi; and had been driven thence with scorn and blows。



This was the message of the chief of the Halakazi to Dingaan; king of

the Zulus: That the maid who was named the Lily; was; indeed; the

wonder of the earth; and as yet unwed; for she had found no man upon

whom she looked with favour; and she was held in such love by this

people that it was not their wish to force any husband on her。

Moreover; the chief said that he and his people defied Dingaan and the

Zulus; as their fathers had defied Chaka before him; and spat upon his

name; and that no maid of theirs should go to be the wife of a Zulu

dog。



Then the chief of the Halakazi caused the maid who was named the Lily

to be led before the messengers of Dingaan; and they found her

wonderfully fair; for so they said: she was tall as a reed; and her

grace was the grace of a reed that is shaken in the wind。 Moreover;

her hair curled; and hung upon her shoulders; her eyes were large and

brown; and soft as a buck's; her colour was the colour of rich cream;

her smile was like a ripple on the waters; and when she spoke her

voice was low and sweeter than the sound of an instrument of music。

They said also that the girl wished to speak with them; but the chief

forbade it; and caused her to be led thence with all honour。



Now; when Dingaan heard this message he grew mad as a lion in a net;

for he desired this maid above everything; and yet he who had all

things could not win the maid。 This was his command; that a great impi

should be gathered and sent to Swaziland against the Halakazi tribe;

to destroy them and seize the maid。 But when the matter came on to be

discussed with the indunas in the presence of the king; at the

Amapakati or council; I; as chief of the indunas; spoke against it;

saying that the tribe of the Halakazi were great and strong; and that

war with them would mean war with the Swazis also; moreover; they had

their dwelling in caves which were had to win。 Also; I said; that this

was no time to send impis to seek a single girl; for few years had

gone by since the Black One fell; and foes were many; and the soldiers

of the land had waxed few with slaughter; half of them having perished

in the marshes of the Limpopo。 Now; time must be given them to grow up

again; for to…day they were as a little child; or like a man wasted

with hunger。 Maids were many; let the king take them and satisfy his

heart; but let him make no war for this one。



Thus I spoke boldly in the face of the king; as none had dared to

speak before Chaka; and courage passed from me to the hearts of the

other indunas and generals; and they echoed my words; for they knew

that; of all follies; to begin a new war with the Swazi people would

be the greatest。



Dingaan listened; and his brow grew dark; yet he was not so firmly

seated on the throne that he dared put away our words; for still there

were many in the land who loved the memory of Chaka; and remembered

that Dingaan had murdered him and Umhlangana also。 For now that Chaka

was dead; people forgot how evilly he had dealt with them; and

remembered only that he was a great man; who had made the Zulu people

out of nothing; as a smith fashions a bright spear from a lump of

iron。 Also; though they had changed masters; yet their burden was not

lessened; for; as Chaka slew; so Dingaan slew also; and as Chaka

oppressed; so did Dingaan oppress。 Therefore Dingaan yielded to the

voice of his indunas and no impi was sent against the Halakazi to seek

the maid that was named the Lily。 But still he hankered for her in his

heart; and from that hour he hated me because I had crossed his will

and robbed him of his desire。



Now; my father; there is this to be told: though I did not know it

then; the maid who was named the Lily was no other than my daughter

Nada。 The thought; indeed; came into my mind; that none but Nada could

be so fair。 Yet I knew for certain that Nada and her mother Macropha

were dead; for he who brought me the news of their death had seen

their bodies locked in each other's arms; killed; as it were; by the

same spear。 Yet; as it chanced; he was wrong; for though Macropha

indeed was killed; it was another maid who lay in blood beside her;

for the people whither I had sent Macropha and Nada were tributary to

the Halakazi tribe; and that chief of the Halakazi who sat in the

place of Galazi the Wolf had quarrelled with them; and fallen on them

by night and eaten them up。



As I learned afterwards; the cause of their destruction; as in later

days it was the cause of the slaying of the Halakazi; was the beauty

of Nada and nothing else; for the fame of her loveliness had gone

about the land; and the old chief of the Halakazi had commanded that

the girl should be sent to his kraal to live there; that her beauty

might shine upon his place like the sun; and that; if so she willed;

she should choose a husband from the great men of the Halakazi。 But

the headmen of the kraal refused; for none who had looked on her would

suffer their eyes to lose sight of Nada the Lily; though there was

this fate about the maid that none strove to wed her against her will。

Many; indeed; asked her in marriage; both there and among the Halakazi

people; but ever she shook her head and said; 〃Nay; I would wed no

man;〃 and it was enough。



For it was the saying among men; that it was better that she should

remain unmarried; and all should look on her; than that she should

pass from their sight into the house of a husband; since they held

that her beauty was given to be a joy to all; like the beauty of the

dawn and of the evening。 Yet this beauty of Nada's was a dreadful

thing; and the mother of much death; as shall be told; and because of

her beauty and the great love she bore; she; the Lily herself; must

wither; and the cup of my sorrows must be filled to overflowing; and

the heart of Umslopogaas the Slaughterer; son of Chaka the king; must

become desolate as the black plain when fire has swept it。 So it was

ordained; my father; and so it befell; seeing that thus all men; white

and black; seek that which is beautiful; and when at last they find

it; then it passes swiftly away; or; perchance; it is their death。 For

great joy and great beauty are winged; nor will they sojourn long upon

the earth。 They come down like eagles out of the sky; and into the sky

they return again swiftly。



Thus then it came about; my father; that I; Mopo; believing my

daughter Nada to be dead; little guessed that it was she who was named

the Lily in the kraals of the Halakazi; and whom Dingaan the king

desired for a wife。



Now after I had thwarted him in this matter of the sending of an impi

to pluck the Lily from the gardens of the Halakazi; Dingaan learned to

hate me。 Also I was in his secrets; and with me he had killed his

brother Chaka and his brother Umhlangana; and it was I who held him

back from the slaying of his brother Panda also; and; therefore; he

hated me; as is the fashion of small…hearted men with those who have

lifted them up。 Yet he did not dare to do away with me; for my voice

was loud in the land; and when I spoke the people listened。 Therefore;

in the end; he cast about for some way to be rid of me for a while;

till he should grow strong enough to kill me。



〃Mopo;〃 said the king to me one day as I sat before him in council

with others of the indunas and generals; 〃mindest thou of the las

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